Autumn in My Heart
by Bloody-Stiletto
Summary: A sequel to my previous ShikaIno story Autumn in Springtime. After Shikamaru's death, Ino strived to live with her life filled with misery and longing. On the process, she met a man who looks exactly like Shikamaru. What happens next? Read and find out...


Autumn in my Heart

_Sequel to "Autumn in Springtime"_

_By: Bloody-Stiletto_

**Author's notes:**

Whew! It's been a very long time! It feels good to be back! This is the sequel to my previous story, Autumn in Springtime. I nearly gave up my passion for but a Korean movie made me change my mind and inspired me to write again. For those who haven't read the first story… well… I'm not really asking you to read—though it would be nice if you do… Anyway, so on with the summary.

After Shikamaru's death, Ino had never been the same as before. Living her life in misery, a fateful rainy afternoon found its way to change her life forever. She met a man named Kenji Murayama who looks exactly like Nara Shikamaru. What happens next? Read and find out…

And now I present the first part of my story. Please do enjoy and let me know what you think! Suggestions and constructive criticisms are welcome! Have a nice day!

**Autumn in my Heart: I Miss You So**

**Inspired by the Korean Drama "My Sassy Girl"**

_I had a dream last night… We were walking together hand in hand but suddenly, you disappeared…_

_I woke up with tears streaming down my fragile face…_

_I said to myself, "How I wish that if ever you'll be gone, I hope that it would only be in dreams…"_

.:Ino:.

I miss him.

I'm missing him without a doubt.

When he left, I don't know what to do with my life. I dedicated myself to be with him for as long as I live.

But now… he's not here anymore and wouldn't be back. Ever.

Letting the tormenting rain fall down upon me, I knelt down and caressed the cold ceramic in front of me. As I traced the letterings "Nara Shikamaru" written on it with my freezing fingers, my heart melted for some unknown reason. It was as if… I'm still in the process of mourning. I couldn't get over him. I feel like trapped. Trapped in my own world of misery, longing and sorrow…

They kept on telling me to move on with my life. I should start getting over him and our past. But by doing so… I feel that it would be an insult to his memory… OUR memories…

Once again for the umpteenth time… a tear strolled down my face as the battering rain continued to shower over me.

"Soaking yourself again, I see…" a familiar voice shattered my grieving.

A faint smile crossed my lips as I looked up. And there, I saw him for the second time holding an umbrella to shelter me from the harsh rain. Tears fell down my face even harder as I stared at him unmindful of the rain that falls. I see Kenji as if… I see 'him'… I can't help but cry.

Sighing hard, he gave me a sad smile. "This scene looks kind of familiar… don't you think so, Yamanaka-san?" He held out his hand. "Come, I'm not bringing you to our house if you faint again."

I smiled despite the loneliness that I feel. Taking hold of his hand, I said, "Gommen, Kenji-kun... It's just that… you remind me of my late husband…"

"It's nothing. I understand." He answered and helped me get up. "Here…" he said as he placed a warm black coat around my shivering shoulders. "Put this on. You're bloody freezing for goodness sake…"

Murayama Kenji… This is the second time that we've met. Same place… same scene… I still remember how I fainted when I first saw him.

They look so much alike. Nobody can tell them apart. He has this bored look in his eyes… a not too friendly face… except for the hairstyle, he does looks like Shikamaru.

That's why… I was caught off guard and I fainted.

Muttering a short thanks, I glanced back at Shikamaru's graveyard. "Bye, Shika-kun… I'll come back again…"

.:Kenji:.

I stared at her sleeping figure as I sat on a nearby couch. She looks stressed out and… sad. Who wouldn't be? To lose a love one… it should be hard for her… She loves him so much.

Lucky guy…

This is our second meeting. The first was when I decided to visit my father's grave. It happened one afternoon…and it was raining just like now. I was about to leave when I noticed her kneeling down the ground without anything to protect her from the harsh rain. She was staring blankly at the grave in front of her. She didn't cry… didn't sob… She just stared…absent-mindedly.

When I caught her attention, I was taken aback when she looked at me with eyes bloodshot. Her damp golden blonde hair contrasted her cold cerulean eyes as our eyes met. What can I say? She is beautiful. But as I looked deeper, I found myself mesmerized in her eyes.

I've seen a lot of things dangling along her sad eyes.

Longing…

Misery…

Confusion…

God knows what else…

I was being fascinated by her when she suddenly fainted right in front of me leaving me no choice but to take charge of her. And there, I found a lot about her. I found out how much she loved her late husband. I was kind of shocked when I learned that it was her husband she was grieving at.

And now, here we are… once again. I found myself staring at her for some reason. Probably… it's because I wanted to ease the loneliness that I know she's experiencing.

The problem is… I'm falling for her…

.:Ino:.

It was already evening when I woke up from my deep sleep and I figured that it was time to go home. Bothering the Murayama family is surely enough.

"I owe you again, Kenji-kun." I said and forced a smile as I looked back at him.

I noticed a faint blush on his face as he laughed gently. "Don't mention it."

I bowed my head gently in gratitude as I started to walk towards the exit of their house. A tight grasp stopped me from my tracks which made me look back at him. "Can you really manage to go home alone? I insist on escorting you back home." He asked with eyes filled with worry.

"Y-you don't have to…"

"No. You're not going home alone." He persisted in a much stronger tone. "It's already past seven. Who knows what might happen to you…"

I blinked for a few moments as I tried to catch up on his words. He grabbed my wrist and we went outside their house.

There's no point in arguing with him. Besides, I trust him. I don't know why. But the awkward feeling inside me gets much stronger every time I see him. If it's because he looks exactly like Shikamaru… I don't know…

But one thing is sure… he doesn't act like the stubborn Shikamaru.

**.:So what do you think? Review please! Thanks for reading:.**


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